Sectional creative toy

ABSTRACT

The specification discloses a creative toy of lightweight, durable material, such as a low-density polyethylene and plastic composition, which is made up of a plurality of interlocking arcuate sections capable of assembly in a variety of different ways to provide different life-size toys for juveniles, such as a hoop, slide or chair. Each section of the toy comprises a body portion of hollow, thin-walled and substantially rectangular cross-section having a protruding V-shaped tongue at one end and at the opposite end a recess of complementary and interlocking configuration to the tongue. The outer and inner walls of the body portion are curved inwardly and the side walls have shallow cups recessively molded therein for decoration and reinforcement purposes.

United States Patent [191 Hancovsky 1 Dec. 25, 1973 1 SECTIONAL CREATIVETOY [75] Inventor: John P. Hancovsky, Shaler Township, Allegheny County,Pa.

[73] Assignee: Hi-I-Io Products, Inc., Sharpsburg,

[22] Filed: May 18, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 144,583

[52] US. Cl. 46/25, 138/157, 272/56,

272/56.5 R, 272/57 T, 280/206, 297/118 [51] Int. Cl. A63g ll/00, A63g21/00 [58] Field of Search 272/56.5 R, 56, 60,

272/1 R, l B; 46/23, 25, 30; D34/5.6.4 B, C, D, E; 301/63 DS; 280/205,206, 207; 52/309; 138/157, 117, 120; 24/201 C,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 623,272 4/1899 Brooks138/157 X 1,076,044 10/1913 Kintner 46/25 UX 1,197,140 9/1916 Mathews...138/157 2,354,485 7/1944 Slaughter.. 46/30 UX 1,692,529 11/1928 Zagorski[38/157 X 3,556,522 l/1971 Gale 272/56.5 R

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 661,203 4/1963 Canada 52/309 464,1853/1914 France 46/25 1,221,579 1/1960 France 52/309 221,755 9/1924 GreatBritain 46/25 117,199 7/1946 Sweden 138/157 OTHER PUBLICATIONSPlaythings April, 1971. Sears 1970 Christmas Book, Playall on page 476.

Primary ExaminerAnton O. Oechsle Assistant ExaminerArnold W. KramerAtt0rney-Buell, Blenko & Ziesenheim [5 7 ABSTRACT The specificationdiscloses a creative toy of lightweight, durable material, such as alow-density polyethylene and plastic composition, which is made up of aplurality of interlocking arcuate sections capable of assembly in avariety of different ways to provide different life-size toys forjuveniles, such as a hoop, slide or chair. Each section of the toycomprises a body portion of hollow, thin-walled and substantiallyrectangular cross-section having a protruding V-shaped tongue at one endand at the opposite end a recess of complementary and interlockingconfiguration to the tongue. The outer and inner walls of the bodyportion are curved inwardly and the side walls have shallow cupsrecessively molded therein for decoration and reinforcement purposes.

6 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures SECTIONAL CREATIVE TOY This inventionrelates to a sectionalized toy having a plurality of interlockingelements capable of assembly in a plurality of ways to provide differenttoy configurations, such as a hoop, a childrens slide, or a loungingchair.

Sectional toys, such as building blocks, having interlocking elementsfor assembly into various constructional configurations are well known.Typical of such toys is that disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,031,194, issuedFeb. 18, I936, in which interlocking blocks may be assembledalternatively to form a straight or a curved track section for a toytrain.

It has also been proposed to provide an amusement device, especially forchildren, comprising a sectionalized sphere or ball of two ventilatedhemi-spherical sections sufficiently large when assembled to hold achild in a quasi-embryonic position. Such an amusement device isdisclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,083,979, issued Apr. 2, 1963.

In contrast to the sectionalized toys typified by the aforesaid patents,I propose to provide a sectionalized toy having interlocking sectionscapable of assembly into a plurality of different configurations, eachof which may be utilized by children as an amusement device.

More particularly, I propose to provide a sectionalized toy oflight-weight durable material, such as a lowdensity polyethylene andplastic composition, molded into a plurality of identical arcuatesections of hollow substantially rectangular cross-section, the oppositeends of each section terminating in complementary tongue and recesscontour whereby a plurality of sections may be interlockingly arrangedinto different constructional configurations utilizable individually asa childs amusement device. Moreover, due to mechanical stresses imposedon the interlocking tongue and recess portions under use while assembledin the various configurations, the tongue and complementary recessprovided on each section are specifically designed so as to tend totighten the connection therebetween under stress and thus to preventseparation of the sections and, at the same time, insure adequatemechanical strength to prevent splitting or fracture of the material inthe section under conditions of normal juvenile use.

The invention is more fully described hereinafter in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. I is a perspective view, showing a sectionalized toy in the form ofa hoop and embodying the invention,

FIG. 2 is an exploded view, showing the several sections making up thehoop in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a profile view, showing further details of the hoop of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a plan view, showing one side of an individual section,

FIG. 5 is a plan view, showing the side of the individual sectionopposite to that in FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the hoop, taken on line VI-VI of FIG. 3,

FIG. 7 is a sectional view through an individual section taken on theline VII-VII of FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is a sectional view through an individual section, taken on theline VIII--VIII of FIG. 6,

FIG. 9 is a perspective view, showing an assembly of sections,utilizable as a juvenile see-saw,

FIG. 10 is a perspective view, showing an assembly of sections,utilizable as a juvenile slide,

FIG. 11 is a perspective view, showing a different assembly of sections,also utilizable as a juvenile slide, and

FIG. 12 is a perspective view, showing a further assembly of sections,utilizable as a juvenile lounging chair.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 8 of the drawings, the embodiment of theinvention shown, comprises a plurality of individual and identicalarcuate sections 10, illustratively shown as three in number though thenumber may vary as desired. The sections are preferably molded oflight-weight durable material, such as low-density polyethylene andplastic composition which is characterized by non-brittleness andplastic memory. The term plastic memory refers to the ability to returnto original contour when stressed out of that contour. As will be seenin FIGS. 7 and 8, each individual section 10 is of hollow substantiallyrectangular cross-section, the walls being relatively thin and of theorder of one-eighth to one-fourth inch thick. The inside and outsidecylindrical walls, identified in FIGS. 7 and 8 by reference numerals 11and 12 respectively are transversely arcuate in contour, being ofgreater or lesser diameter at the midpoint than at the outside edgesthereof. This curvature in the cylindrical walls of the sections 10provides the necessary trough to assist a child in centering his body onthe sections in the various configurations of the toy hereinafter morefully described. In the hoop form shown in FIG. 1, the inside diameterof the hoop is sufficiently large to enable a child to sit comfortablyinside the hoop.

As may be seen in the drawings, the side walls of the sections 10 areprovided with a series of arcuately spaced recesses 13, some of whichare illustrated as circular in form and some of rectangular or squareform. The walls of the recesses are in the form of shallow cups l4 andserve to provide additional strength and rigidity to the side walls ofthe sections without increasing the thickness of the material in theside walls.

As will be noted in FIG. 2, each section 10 comprises a body portionformed at one end with a protruding tongue 15 and at the opposite endwith a complementary recess 16. The specific contour of the tongue andrecess is such as to positively lock two sections together when thetongue of one section is transversely inserted into the recess ofanother section. The tongue fits the recess with a snug fit whichenables connection and separation of the sections with minimal physicaleffort and yet frictionally prevents accidental lateral separation whilein use.

Essentially, the tongue 15 has an enlarged end portion which istransversely tubular and substantially V- shaped in cross-section andwhich is joined to the end wall of the body portion of the section 10 bya neck 17 which is tubular and rectangular in cross-section. Neck l7tapers toward the longitudinal axis of the tongue in the direction ofthe enlarged end portion. It should be particularly noted that the wallconnection between the neck and the enlarged end portion of tongue 15has an outer surface that extends outwardly from the axis of the tongueand at the same time reversely toward the body portion of the section,thus forming a pair of transversely extending lobes 18 at the juncturewith the inner extremities of the V-shaped outer surface of the tongue.The lobes 18 are especially important in providing the interlocking withthe complementary recess 16 as will presently become more apparent.

Being complementary to the contour of tongue 15, the recess 16 isnecessarily a V-shaped tubular recess with inwardly projectingtransverse lobes 19 on each side of a slot opening to the end face ofthe section. Thus it will be seen that the lobes 18 on the tongue 15contact the inner face of the lobes 19 to positively lock the tonguedend of a section 10 against separation from the recessed end of asection 10. It should be noted that the pressure of the lobes 18 againstthe lobes 19 under stress actually tends to tighten the connectionbetween coupled sections 10.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1, it shouldnow be apparent that when the several sections 10 are assembled, theresulting hoop provides one form of amusement device for a child who cancurl up inside the interior of the hoop and rock back and forth or evenroll linearly in somersaulting fashion. The transversely curvedcylindrical inner wall of the sections 10 enables the child to remainwithin the hoop without sliding out laterally.

The versatility of the invention is manifested by the illustrativevariations of configurations shown in FIGS. 9, 10, 11 and 12. In theconfiguration of FIG. 9, the central section 10 rests on the groundwhile the end sections are elevated above the ground. Thus two childrenmay sit on opposite ends and the device becomes an excellent see-saw.

In the configuration of FIG. 10, the outer ends of the end sections 10rest on the ground while the central section is elevated. The devicethus is utilizable as a childs slide in opposite directions from thecenter. In this instance, the transversely curved cylindrical contour ofthe sections serves as a slide trough.

In FIGS. 11 and 12 the same configuration of sections 10 is shown butthe assemblies are oriented oppositely. Thus in FIG. 11, the ends ofopposite end sections 10 rest on the ground and the assembly becomes achilds slide. In FIG. 12, however, the end of one end section 10 and thecentral area of the middle section 10 rest on the ground and theassembly becomes a childs lounging chair.

It will accordingly be apparent that I have provided a versatile toywhich enables a child to exercise creative instincts in assembling theindividual sections in a variety of different ways to obtaincorrespondingly different instruments of enjoyment. Moreover, theconstruction of the sections and particularly the interlocking tongueand recess design is such as to provide a serviceable and durableproduct capable of withstanding all reasonable normal use to which achild would put it with some considerable factor of safety. In the eventof temporary overstressing of the section, and particularly theinterlocking tongue and recess portions, the composition of thepolyethylene and plastic combination is such that the lobes l8 and 19will yield slightly and the plastic memory of the material causes areturn of the lobes to original contour.

What I claim is: 1. A sectional member for a multi-member sectional toyapparatus, comprising a body portion having top and bottom walls, sidewalls and end walls, the body portion being curved on a substantiallyuniform radius of curvature along its longitudinal axis extendingbetween the end walls with the top wall having a greater radius ofcurvature than the bottom wall and with the end walls beingsubstantially perpendicular to the top, bottom and side walls, atransverse cross-section of said body portion having substantiallyparallel side walls and curved top and bottom walls, a tongue extendingtransversely across the center of one end wall from side wall to sidewall, said tongue having a head and neck portion, the head portion beingformed by a substantially flat top and bottom head wall convergingoutwardly to join at their forward edges to form the forward edge of thetongue head portion, the neck portion being formed by a substantiallyflat top and bottom neck wall outwardly converging from said end wall,and reversely curved walls each respectively joining the rear edge of ahead wall to the forward edge of a neck wall, the opposite end wall ofsaid body portion terminating in an open recess in said body portionconforming in contour to the outer contour of said tongue, whereby twosectional members may be interlockingly joined in end-to-end relation byinserting the tongue of one member laterally into the recess of anothermember.

2. A sectional member for a multi-member sectional toy apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the said body portion is of hollowconstruction, the walls of said body portion being of relatively thinconstruction in the range of one-eighth to one-fourtb inch thickness.

3. A sectional member for a multi-member sectional toy apparatusaccording to claim 2, wherein the side walls of the body portion haveintegrally formed therein a plurality of arcuately spaced inwardlyextending shallow cups that furnish reinforcement and substantialrigidity to said side walls.

4. A sectional member for a multi-member sectional toy apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the top and bottom walls of the bodyportion are curved inwardly toward each other.

5. A sectional member for a multi-member sectional toy apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the walls of said body portion are of thinconstruction molded of light-weight material.

6. A sectional member for a multi-member sectional toy apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the walls of said body portions are ofthin construction and molded ofa low density polyethylene and plasticmaterial having plastic memory.

1. A sectional member for a multi-member sectional toy apparatus,Comprising a body portion having top and bottom walls, side walls andend walls, the body portion being curved on a substantially uniformradius of curvature along its longitudinal axis extending between theend walls with the top wall having a greater radius of curvature thanthe bottom wall and with the end walls being substantially perpendicularto the top, bottom and side walls, a transverse cross-section of saidbody portion having substantially parallel side walls and curved top andbottom walls, a tongue extending transversely across the center of oneend wall from side wall to side wall, said tongue having a head and neckportion, the head portion being formed by a substantially flat top andbottom head wall converging outwardly to join at their forward edges toform the forward edge of the tongue head portion, the neck portion beingformed by a substantially flat top and bottom neck wall outwardlyconverging from said end wall, and reversely curved walls eachrespectively joining the rear edge of a head wall to the forward edge ofa neck wall, the opposite end wall of said body portion terminating inan open recess in said body portion conforming in contour to the outercontour of said tongue, whereby two sectional members may beinterlockingly joined in end-to-end relation by inserting the tongue ofone member laterally into the recess of another member.
 2. A sectionalmember for a multi-member sectional toy apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the said body portion is of hollow construction, the walls ofsaid body portion being of relatively thin construction in the range ofone-eighth to one-fourtb inch thickness.
 3. A sectional member for amulti-member sectional toy apparatus according to claim 2, wherein theside walls of the body portion have integrally formed therein aplurality of arcuately spaced inwardly extending shallow cups thatfurnish reinforcement and substantial rigidity to said side walls.
 4. Asectional member for a multi-member sectional toy apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the top and bottom walls of the body portion are curvedinwardly toward each other.
 5. A sectional member for a multi-membersectional toy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the walls of saidbody portion are of thin construction molded of light-weight material.6. A sectional member for a multi-member sectional toy apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the walls of said body portions are ofthin construction and molded of a low density polyethylene and plasticmaterial having plastic memory.